McGeady said his former team mates at Parkhead could be struggling with their motivation because they are so far ahead at the top of the table.

Aiden McGeady was back in Glasgow to talk about the PFA Player of the Year awards.

AIDEN McGEADY reckons Celtic fans who celebrated seeing bitter rivals Rangers sent to the Third Division are now regretting the decision.

The former Hoops star believes his old club are now witnessing the impact of losing the Old Firm derby with crowds dwindling at Parkhead.

McGeady admitted he has friends who are finding it a grind to turn up for games when Neil Lennon’s men are so far ahead of the rest in the Premiership.

And the Everton new boy also reckons the Parkhead players could find it difficult to be motivated with the champions having the chance to go 24 points clear of Aberdeen if they beat Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Friday night.

McGeady knows the loss of the Old Firm fixture – the last was two years ago next month – has hit Scottish football and hopes it can return the season after next if Rangers can win promotion from the Championship at the first attempt.

The 27-year-old former Spartak Moscow man – back in Glasgow to help launch this season’s PFA Scotland Player of the Year awards – said: “There were probably a lot of Celtic fans happy at the time when Rangers were demoted to the bottom league.

“But over the last couple of years they’ve probably realised it would be beneficial to have them there.

“That’s why the Champions League is so important, without that a lot of fans will say, ‘I can’t be bothered going this Saturday’.

“I know people who have that attitude. The Celtic players will have missed it as well.

“I’m not being disrespectful to the teams in the league – the likes of Motherwell and Ross County – but the other matches just aren’t the same as playing against Rangers, they never will be.

“There is probably something missing to motivate them because they’re miles ahead of the rest. If you look at it now Celtic could lose five or six games on the bounce and still win the league.

“It would definitely help if Rangers were there. The fans would also feel they’ve got more competition and then you would have that rivalry back.

“I would have liked it if Celtic were still in the Scottish Cup – if they had faced Rangers it would have been a good game.

“In a couple of years time it could be back to Old Firm games which would be good. I can understand how it’s difficult for the Celtic players when they’re so far ahead.

“The Old Firm game was right up there for me because I’m a Celtic fan and you grow up wanting to score the winner against Rangers.

“The Moscow derby is a similar rivalry but while you have 80,000 fans you have Spartak and CSKA fans sitting next to each other.

“You wouldn’t see that at an Old Firm game but I don’t think the atmosphere will be any more hostile when they finally do meet again.”

McGeady is full of admiration for the job his old Celtic team-mate Lennon has done in his first job in the hotseat and reckons he’s done enough to earn a crack at the English Premiership.

He said: “Lenny has done nearly all he can at Celtic.

“He’s done well there, won a lot of trophies and even got into the Champions League group stages.

“He probably deserves a shot in England but who knows if he would take it. Maybe he would feel he’s done all he can at Celtic and it’s time to try his luck in the Premiership.”

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